Research Article

Ursodeoxycholic Acid at 18–22 mg/kg/d Showed a Promising Capacity for Treating Refractory Primary Biliary Cholangitis

Table 1

Characteristics of study population at entry.

13–15 mg/kg/d18–22 mg/kg/d value
(n = 36)(n = 37)

Age, year52.0 (46.0, 58.8)52.0 (46.5 – 56.0)0.623
Female, no. (%)30 (83.3%)33 (89.2%)0.476
Fatigue (%)11/36 (30.6%)13/37 (35.1%)0.677
Pruritus (%)18 (50.0%)19 (51.4%)0.995
PLT, 109/L170.0 (102.3, 234.5)181.0 (137.5, 235.5)0.318
TB, μ mol/L17.4 (14.1, 27.3)15.3 (11.2, 22.4)0.072
ALP, IU/L281.0 (216.0, 394.5)238.0 (203.0, 338.0)0.156
AST, IU/L58.5 (45.0, 94.0)54.0 (42.5 – 67.0)0.180
ALT, IU/L64.0 (40.5, 77.0)53.0 (44.0, 78.0)0.938
ALB, g/L43.3 (39.7, 47.5)45.4 (43.2, 46.6)0.133
GLB, g/L36.7 (31.3, 39.2)34.3 (30.6, 35.6)0.090
GGT, IU/L220.0 (123.3, 288.0)161.0 (110.5 – 261.5)0.227
IGM, mg/L3145.0 (1787.0, 4265.0)3000.0 (2090.0, 3815.0)0.728
CHOL, mmol/L5.3 (4.4, 6.9)6.0 (5.3 – 6.4)0.348
APRI1.17 (0.64, 1.18)0.97 (0.61, 1.27)0.120
FIB-43.02 (1.49, 5.62)2.14 (1.41, 3.00)0.085
AMA, no. (%)22 (61.1%)29 (78.3%)0.108
MND (%)0 (0%)1 (2.7%)>0.999
Anti-Sp1000/5 (0%)1/7 (14.3%)>0.999
RL/M (%)11 (30.6%)12 (32.4%)0.863
Anti-gp2101/5 (20.0%)2/7 (28.6%)>0.999
Liver cirrhosis, no. (%)12 (33.3%)7 (18.9%)0.181

Only 12 cases in our trial underwent investigations for anti-Sp100 and anti-gp210 by immunoblotting. Note. PLT, platelet count; TB, total bilirubin; ALP, alkaline phosphatase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; ALB, albumin; GLB, globulin; GGT, γ-glutamyltransferase; IGM, immunoglobulin M; CHOL, cholesterol; PT, prothrombin time; APRI, aspartate aminotransferase/platelet ratio index; FIB-4, fibrosis index based on the four factors; AMA, antimitochondrial antibody; MND, multiple nuclear dots; RL/M, rim-like/membranous.